Bent Ånund Ramsfjell has resigned from his role with the World Curling Federation ©WCF

Bent Ånund Ramsfjell has resigned as Europe vice-president of the World Curling Federation (WCF) after missing out in the Presidential election race last week.

The Norwegian was one of four candidates to replace Kate Caithness at the helm during the governing body's 11th Congress in Lausanne alongside her eventual successor Beau Welling of the United States, Canada's Graham Prouse and Australian Hugh Milikin.

"Last weekend in the Board meeting following the World Curling Federation Annual General Assembly, I resigned from the World Curling Federation Board and Commissions with immediate effect," said Ramsfjell following Welling's victory.

"I truly believe in and respect democracy and at the Annual General Assembly we saw democracy in action.

"However, through the decisions taken, the membership clearly indicated they want to go in a different direction than the one I had envisaged for our sport.

"With that outcome I firmly believe it was the appropriate time to step aside and pass the baton to someone else, allowing the Federation to move forward.

"I have enjoyed my ten years with the Federation as its vice-president and want to express my sincere and heartfelt thanks to all the of people I’ve met and worked with along the way.

"I leave the Board with my respect, dignity, and integrity intact, and with only the best wishes for the Federation in the future.

"Despite my time with the Federation coming to an end, I will remain an engaged and enthusiastic member of the curling family.

"I wish my good friend Beau Welling all the best in his Presidential endeavours moving the sport forward."

Beau Welling expressed his disappointment at having to accept Bent Ånund Ramsfjell's resignation as one of his first acts as President ©Beau Welling Design
Beau Welling expressed his disappointment at having to accept Bent Ånund Ramsfjell's resignation as one of his first acts as President ©Beau Welling Design

Ramsfjell was elected to the WCF Board as vice-president in 2012, then elected as vice-president for Europe for an initial one-year term in 2014 as part of the WCF Board Restructure.

He was also the founding chair of the WCF Athlete Commission and chaired it from its inception in 2013 until 2014 and acted as Board liaison for the Commission until 2017.

"I'm disappointed that one of my first acts as President of the World Curling Federation was to accept the resignation of my good friend Bent," said Welling.

"However, I can understand his desire to step away and look for a new challenge.

"The curling family has diverse views and ultimately the membership decided to go in a direction that Bent did not feel matched his own desires.

"No matter what the future brings for Bent, he leaves with my greatest respect.

"All of us on the Board have valued his perspective and I look forward to continuing to seek out his opinion from time to time.

"He truly is a remarkable person and, though I understand his decision, I am sorry to see him go."

Ramsfjell was eliminated in the first round with 33 votes, just two votes behind Prouse.